All Spanish vehicles must be identified with their corresponding registration plate, although they are not all the same, either in shape or in colour. If you want to know the most common types of registration plates in Spain and what they indicate, you are reading the right article: let me explain.
Spain’s vehicle registration system is one of the most complex and has approximately 22 types of registration plates for all kinds of vehicles: ordinary cars (passenger cars), motorcycles, official vehicles, special vehicles, etc.
Let us look at the most common ones, classified by their background colour.
White background for passenger cars, the standard plate
This registration system came into force in September 2000.
The most common Spanish registration plates, those of passenger cars, have a white background with black characters and a blue EU badge with the initial ‘E’ for Spain on the left.
The characters form a code of four numbers and three letters (0000 AAA). The letters Ñ and Q are excluded to avoid confusion.
Although the usual size is 520 x 110 millimetres (known as the long ordinary plate), it can also be found in a square format for smaller vehicles.
Old registration plates
Vehicles registered before the year 2000 (more than 20 years ago) used for identification the provincial code, or the provincial code with two letters (more recent):
- Provincial numeric system: M – 0000
- Provincial alphanumeric system: M – 0000 – AB
H – Historic or classic vehicle
When I say classic I mean old vehicles registered more than 30 years ago, subject to some other considerations. If you still own a very old vehicle that you drive, I recommend you read this article on what a classic vehicle is in order to be correctly insured.
Historic vehicle status is granted by the competent body of each Autonomous Community and a series of special requirements must be met:
- The vehicle must be at least 25 years old.
- It must have taken part in a significant event
- It must have belonged to a prominent figure
In this classification, the historic vehicle registration plate begins with the letter H followed by a four-digit number and three letters. The plate is valid indefinitely.
Heavy or special quads
Other vehicles, such as quads, carry white plates with red characters. Quad registration plates are divided into three types according to their technical characteristics, as quads can be light, heavy or special, and the plate depends on each type. Heavy quads carry a plate with a white background and black letters, either elongated rectangular or almost square. And finally, special quads have white plates with red letters.
Registration plates for public administration vehicles
They have a first group of numbers and letters representing each institution on the plate, but they are also black on a white background.
- With the letters PGC for the Guardia Civil fleet.
- With the letters CNP for the National Police Force.
- With the letters ET for the Spanish Army.
- With the letters EA for the Spanish Air Force.
- With the letters FN for the naval forces.
- With a Gothic letter E and an identification number for the Ertzaintza.
- With the letters CGPC and a red stripe for the Canary Islands police.
These are vehicles belonging to the State (Spanish Army, Navy, Air Force, Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of the Environment, State Vehicle Fleet, Guardia Civil, National Police, Allied Forces in Spain) or to the regional administrations (Mossos d’Esquadra, Escola de Policia de Catalunya, Ertzaintza, Canary Islands General Police Force).
Green registration plates for imported or diplomatic cars
Have you ever seen green registration plates in Spain? Well yes, they do exist.
P – Imported vehicles
If they begin with the letter P, they are imported cars arriving from abroad that are waiting to receive their standard Spanish registration plate.
The Traffic Authority issues this provisional plate so that the vehicle can be driven while the definitive Spanish plate, in the usual white colour, is being processed. This type of plate is valid in Spain for 60 days.
CC – Spanish diplomatic vehicles
Also with a green background are the plates of Spain’s Consular Corps (belonging to the diplomatic corps), but these begin with the letters CC.
There are three groups of white characters on a green background. The first group has the letters CC, the second the digits identifying the Diplomatic Mission and the third those corresponding to the number of vehicles of the Diplomatic Mission.
Red registration plates for trailers and test cars
There are also plates with a red background and black letters.
R – Trailers and semi-trailers
In Spain, lorry trailers and semi-trailers up to a limit of 750 kilos must use this type of red plate, which begins with R.
S or V – Test vehicles or deregistered vehicles
They begin with the letter S or V and have a red background. This plate also identifies vehicles being driven for testing purposes before going on sale.
They are used on vehicles temporarily deregistered due to a transfer of ownership, or on vehicles undergoing technical testing, research, transport or trials by potential buyers. They are valid for one year.
CD – Diplomatic corps vehicles
This type of plate, although it has a red background, has white characters and three groups of characters. The first group is the letters CD, a second (numeric) group identifies the Diplomatic Mission, and the third, also made up of digits, corresponds to the vehicles or members of that Mission.
S, V or FV – Temporary vehicles for companies
A temporary plate for companies while the paperwork required to register the vehicle is being completed. They have a side strip showing the plate’s expiry date. With a red background and white characters, these plates begin with a letter that defines the purpose of the vehicle:
- Letter S: unregistered vehicles.
- Letter V: vehicles already registered.
- Letter F.V.: vehicles used for extraordinary tests or research trials.
This character is followed by a combination of 4 digits and 3 letters.
Blue for plates related to passenger transport
Since 31 July 2018, taxis and chauffeur-driven hire vehicles – VTC (Uber, Cabify and similar) have been required to carry these blue plates with white numbers and letters to distinguish them from other ordinary vehicles.
OI – Diplomatic plate for International Organisations
Like all the diplomatic plates seen above, it has three groups of characters, in this case white on a blue background. The first group has the letters OI, the second the digits identifying the Organisation and the third the digits indicating the vehicles or members of that Organisation.
Registration plates with a yellow background
Even if you have never seen them, there are Spanish registration plates with a yellow background, which also come in different sizes depending on the vehicle.
TA – Technical diplomatic plate
This plate has three groups of white characters on a yellow background. The first group has the letters TA, then two digits identifying the Diplomatic Mission, Consular Office or International Organisation and, finally, two digits indicating the order of the vehicles belonging to the technical and administrative staff.
Registration plates for mopeds
Vertical yellow plates with black letters are reserved for mopeds and light quads. These plates have different dimensions (100mm x 168mm) from car registration plates.
What if the registration plate is foreign?
All the information we have seen so far refers to plates used by vehicles in Spain. At OFESAUTO we have a tool that lets you find out which country a foreign registration plate belongs to. If you need this information, use our foreign registration plate nationality search tool.
